Phantom of Equestria
by PhantomLilac
Summary: Phantom of the Opera meets My Little Pony! A Oneshot in two parts (PoTo and LND). My first crossover fic ever, so I hope you enjoy it :)
1. Part 1

**Of course, many know the real story of The Phantom of the Opera. The truth is, due to multiple alternate universes, the Phantom, Erik, did not just exist on Earth...but Equestria itself. This Equestria Erik is much different from the Earth Erik in very many ways, as much of the storyline is shortened and different from the original works of Gaston Leroux. This is the Erik of Equestria. And this is HIS story.**

.::.

At last, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy arrived at the grand opera house, newly established and built up faster than you could say "Celestia!"

Fluttershy tucked her tail between her legs, nervous about her appearance on stage, she had only come to the insistence of Pinkie Pie. Pinkie bounced from spot to spot with excitement.

"This is gonna be sooo awesome, right? Huh, Fluttershy? HUH!? Can't wait to meet the cast! And I will throw the best-est parties EVER!" she squealed as they entered the main stage room.

Instead, their jaws dropped, for the Prima Donna was indeed Trixie Lulamoon. Trixie was flouncing about and singing her heart out...and as soon as Fluttershy was about to object-the stage set fell to the ground.

.::.

"Hmmph. Think they can run my theater, can they?" the voice murmured from the shadows, his solitary horn glowing with magic as he cautiously loosened the knot on the stage set. It was a beautiful backdrop of Saddle Arabia. He remembered his time in Saddle Arabia, and he reassured himself that this play was totally a false and horrid romanticism of what it was.

He lifted his wings and flew back to another perch, watching from above the scene soon to unfold...

.::.

"Oh dear! Miss Trixie!" one of the stage managers, Lyra squawked.

"It must've been that lousy backstage hand. Big Mc'Intosh, front and center!" Bon Bon grumbled. The two new managers argued in a whisper amongst themselves before Big Mac began to speak up.

"Eenope!" the stallion snapped.

As soon as he said that, Trixie's mane stood on end as she dusted herself off.

"The Great and Musical Trixie does not deserve such treatment! Come, Gilda, we go home, and out!"

Lyra jumped in front of her, her golden eyes widening.

"Please, oh Great and Powerful Trixie, please do stay! It was an accident-"

Pinkie Pie interrupted with a shriek, "It was the Opera Ghost! I know it is!"

Fluttershy cowered, her satiny pale gold ears flopping to both sides of her face.

"O-opera ghost?" she stammered with a little squeak of nervousness, before hiding her face in her mane.

"Yeah! He has yellow teeth and is hideous from head to toe! He's like an evil enchantress but a GHOST! Super cool, right?" Pinkie Pie explained while nibbling hungrily on a cupcake.

Bon Bon trotted over to the two, cocking her head.

"You two were sent by Celestia as performers, right?" she asked.

"Yes of course-" Pinkie Pie was, in turn, interrupted by Lyra, whom was bewildered and very, very frustrated.

"Who cares now? We have no cast anymore-without a prima donna like Trixie there is no show!" rudely she snapped.

Pinkie grinned, her mane puffing back into shape like a balloon.

"Fluttershy could sing it! She's a good singer!"

Fluttershy's face flushed with embarrassment.

"I..uh..." she mumbled.

"Alright. Do sing for us, then." Bon Bon asked. Clearing her throat and trembling, Fluttershy began to sing...

.::.

The voice stared, his lips curling into an entranced, warm smile. His cold, stone heart melted at the singing of this Fluttershy.

"I will make her my project..." he murmured, then bounded away...excited suddenly for tonight's performance.

.::.

Prince Blueblood arrived in his own chariot. He did not desire to see a measly show tune performance, but as Celestia and Luna, his cousins, requested, he make a regal appearance with the newly named Princess Twilight Sparkle. Like he could care less!

He was seated in Box Ten, while the managers babbled uselessly.

"Oh, shut up, you two, it's starting. What a bore." he moaned, then snapped, "Maid! I need some water!"

His maid, Sapphire Shores, hurried away then within seconds returned with an ice cold drink, holding it to his mouth. He sipped away thirstily, then ordered her to leave him alone.

After an hour or so of nearly falling asleep, a captivating and hauntingly familiar voice hit his ears...

Could it be?

He flipped through his playbill. It was! It was Fluttershy, a young mare he had met on vacation to Ponyville. For the first time in a while, he smiled, not because of himself, but because of her...

.::.

Fluttershy went to her dressing room and began to clean away the blush from her cheeks, before a voice spoke to her...

"Little 'Flutter, though am I fonder?"

She turned around excitingly.

"Blueblood!" she squealed, nuzzling his cheek in a friendly affection. He smiled, brushing a strand of his golden mane out of his eyes.

"Is it ever so good to see you?" he purred, being a terrible flirt he was. She giggled, for this was one of the few times of her life that she did not feel shy at all.

"It is great, actually. How have you been in Canterlot, with my friend Twilight part of your family now?"

He cringed slightly, and she could tell he did not like Twilight...or mares in general except for Fluttershy.

"Good, yes." he kept forcing that smile on his face. Awkwardly they smiled to each other for a few minutes before he continued, "It's been a good talk...now, come with me to supper!"

Fluttershy frowned suddenly.

"No, Blueblood, I need to go off to bed." she said with a yawn.

He laughed.

"Not for my little 'Flutter! Come along now, five minutes. You look nice, then we dine!"

"Please...I need rest! Blueblood!" he didn't listen. Instead he closed the door behind him, smiling to himself as he trotted off. Fluttershy sulked.

"Things are different now, Prince Blueblood..." she murmured, sniffling to herself.

"Insolent Prince, this slave of fashion, basking in MY triumph!" a heavenly voice came from her mirror. She gasped, backing up a bit. Her papa had always mentioned an Angel of Music, but this couldn't be...she long since stopped believing in that story.

"Who's there?" she whispered.

"My dear, I am the Opera Ghost." He didn't lie, or cheat, but she shuddered.

"Are you-are you going to kill me?" her face went back in her mane, scared by this ghost in her mirror.

He snorted, then laughed.

"No, I will not kill you. To be honest," he swallowed, "I have given up the idea of murdering...it's been a long time and most in the past were self-defense."

She relaxed her shoulders. He hadn't killed for a long time...why should he kill her? But this voice was equally as ominous.

"Are you a real ghost?" she echoed from Pinkie Pie's earlier remark, almost childishly.

"Do you wish to find out?" he retorted, choking up in his voice. She was so entranced by this voice, why should she dare to refuse?

Fluttershy gulped, straightening herself up and walking up to the mirror. She leaned in and murmured, "Yes." She didn't know why she felt so compelled by this mysterious figure in her mirror...she just was. And she jumped back a foot or so when the mirror began to slide open...letting in mist. So much mist...swirling and rising to her ankles. She shuddered again, this time at the frosty chill that echoed the near-darkness before a figure arose from the depths.

Indeed it was not a ghost, instead...a pony. A pony like herself. He was a few inches taller than her, clearly, with his wings outstretched and his body tensed and muscular. A stallion who must work out a lot...but he was as skinny as a mare...lacking that buff toning that truly does make up the stallion look.

He stared down at her, his amber eyes gleaming, his brown pelted fur, and a shiny, porcelain white mask covering a half of his face. At last, a faint smile surfaced on his lips.

"Shall you accompany me?" he mocked Blueblood, but it was so spot on it made her skin shiver with giggles she forced to keep down, for a hint of fear still masked her mind.

She was here, with the Phantom, the Opera Ghost...

.::.

The Opera Ghost lead her down the caverns. When it turned completely dark as they neared the boats, she whimpered, "Do we have any candles, I'm afraid of the dark." Of course she was afraid of the dark, he thought a bit irritably. He had a short temper at times, but truly was an honest-to-word sort of pony.

With a blink of magic, he lit his horn up in a bright glow, making her gasp with excitement.

"You're an Alicorn!?" she whispered. He stopped, and she bumped into his flank.

"An Ali-what?" he grunted, staring into her droopy, beautiful blue eyes.

"Alicorn. A horned pegasus or a winged unicorn, however you prefer to call it. You're an alicorn! You're a royal! Only princesses get to be alicorns-"

He recoiled a bit. Princesses? What?

"Oh, forgive me," she shyly peeped, "I'm just saying I've never seen a prince alicorn. You're unique! What's your name?"

Amused, he relaxed. He knew Fluttershy was a very shy pony when he first watched her...but now she was chatting as if they were lifetime friends. She was truly tugging at his heart strings.

"Erik," he responded, "My name is Erik."

Fluttershy smiled again, melting his heart even further.

"Nice to meet you, Erik."

"Nice to meet you too. Now, follow me."

He lifted his wings, gliding across the glossy, swirling gray lake. When he landed, Erik looked around him at his beautiful lair. When this mare reached the shore...she fainted...fainted into his hooves from exhaustion. Unsure of what to do, he placed her in his unused, old swan bed, and tucked her in. She didn't budge.

He was compelled to kiss her, to wake her up and tell her he thinks he is falling in love...an obsessive love with her, but she'd never believe him, would she?

Erik went back to composing, where he would stay all night.

To be honest with himself, he never knew he was a royal. Alicorn...

He didn't even remember his parents or his family in general. Had his parents died in a terrible war? Did he even have siblings?

He remembered, though, the Moon Cult of ponies who had treated him so horribly...half his life in a cage, not knowing how to use magic, not knowing how to talk...then he came here. That was long after the Moon Cult had taken him to the land of Saddle Arabia, where the horrible dictator, Shah Fear, had-

No. Erik refused to think of those awful times, times were he wished he were dead. If it weren't for the Pie family and their rock farm taking him in, especially Cloudy Quartz. He had only been a young colt when they found him. He would never forget the kindness and fearlessness that Cloudy Quartz, Igneous Rock, Limestone and Marble Pie had shown him. He hadn't met Pinkie Pie until much later...well, seen her to be correct.

He was tired now, but continued writing his music more careless than a June butterfly. Erik shook his head, reaching up with one hoof and gently running it across his mask before biting back may have been different if he hadn't been born so hideous.

Fluttershy would never love him, for inside and out he was revolting...so much he was scared of himself as well.

.::.

Fluttershy crept out of the bed she had been lain upon the next morning, before she heard a few keys off of a church organ go off-every little, sensual movement he made, more charming than she'd ever imagined, she grew curiously quaint over his strange mask.

She was most curious by the way he organized himself. Candles, candles blazed all around. Mist swirled over a smooth, glossy lake. Books by the hundreds were decked in stacks along the stone floor.

Fluttershy shyly ducked her head down, slowly turning the corner. She felt so warm, so welcome here, but one thing in particular boggled her brain: What was under the mask? Normally she would not pry, not dare to do anything so drastic, but Erik's case was evermore peculiar she just had to find out!

With one hoof, she slowly began to reach out to it, but drew back when he twitched, busily humming to himself...when finally...POP! It came clean off and clattered to her hooves, which she slowly shoved between them and looked up.

Both screamed, Erik in alarm, Fluttershy in terror, for what she saw would change everything she felt about this stranger.

His fur looked burned off half of his face, the skin pink and twisted, part of the bone on his cheek was shone through a thin layer of skin cells covering it. She cried out as he screeched again, head reeling from side to side to locate his attacker. When he realized it was only her, his eyes widened and he too began to cry.

"F-fluttershy...please...my mask..." he began to wail like an innocent filly. The churning compulsions in her chest made her whimper as she passed it back to him, bowing her face to hide her waterfalls of frightened tears. She wished she hadn't taken his white porcelain mask now, for that gateway between two worlds of emotion left her scared and alone.

At last, with his magic, he placed it back on its rightful place, sniffing away the last of his sudden emotional outburst and becoming stern and cold.

"Come, we must return now," he growled with not a hint of feeling, "Those two fools who run MY theater will be missing you!"

The whole way back up the tunnel to her mirror he spoke not a word, no matter how hard Fluttershy tried to plead with him.

"I'm sorry, Erik. Please don't be angry with me..." she whispered. He didn't budge as he very strictly and stiffly led her on her way.

"Goodbye, Fluttershy." he said coldly before turning and locking the mirror behind him. She banged on it a few times to no response, then slumped down, biting her lip hard and letting out another soft whimper. She had just ruined a promising friendship.

.::.

The night of the new performance came. Twilight evermore sat in excitement to hear her friend Fluttershy's newest act in Pon-Muto, where she was to star. Instead, she was downed and angered when in Fluttershy's place, the terrible and hideous singer, Trixie, was the Prima Donna.

"What a disaster. Where is Fluttershy?" Applejack whispered over to Rarity.

"The disaster is not as much the singing as that horrid wig she's wearing. Who on Equestria made THAT? Pinkie's outfit is absolutely gorgeous, however," Rarity critiqued, rather unamused by the whole display.

Rainbow Dash impatiently shuffled her feet.

"I don't wanna hear anymore Trixie, someone Rainboom her or something-in her throat!" she snapped.

Rainbow Dash would not see it coming in time-for indeed Trixie began to croak. Everyone stared. She giggled shyly, then ordered the song to start over. As soon as a few lines began, she croaked again and again, until she had to be taken offstage. At long last, Fluttershy arrived on the stage and sang. When she went off...

Everything dimmed. Ballet dancers spun and swirled in bright colors of springtime, vocalizing each note smoothly. At long last, there was a bang, and the stage lit. Twilight gasped and put out the sudden rising flames. Laughter, malicious and vile laughter rang around. Pinkie Pie screamed from on stage, "He's there! The Opera Ghost! The Phantom of Equestria!"

From beside Twilight, Prince Blueblood arose and ran backstage as quickly as he could, leaving her and her friends baffled.

.::.

"I can't go back there, Blueblood, please!" Fluttershy cried, refusing to face him. Her face was sullen, her wings bent downwards as she hyperventilated in her tears.

"Fluttershy, there is no Phantom of Equestria! Stop being so childish! What happened to you that night a month ago?" he questioned angrily. She shuddered for a moment, before coldly facing him.

"Blueblood, things. Have. Changed. There is a Phantom of Equestria...I've...I've seen him." she stammered, then began to cry again. Prince Blueblood sighed heavily.

"Marry me, then. Let me take you away from your fears."

She faltered for a moment, nearly collapsing on him, but he caught her, and began to coo her gently.

"Blueblood, I can't-he'll-he'll-"

"He'll do nothing. I will make you my princess, give you your heart's desires...please, please say I do, at least say yes and consider this for a while, let me spoil you."

Unwillingly, she nodded, and he scooped her onto his back while she began to dose now. Blueblood smiled warmly, for once in his stuck-up life he had found a desire to fight for. He would fight for his Fluttershy. She would learn to love him.

.::.

Erik had been watching and listening, and as the two vanished back away, he landed neatly on the ground and watched them go, tears streaming from his cheeks. He had given her...his...music. His music! And let her song take wing...and now she had betrayed him. Fluttershy, the shy, innocent little dove, betrayed him!

His heart skipped a beat as he pulled out a solitary rose, crushing it with one footsteps, and began to mash it into the ground unfeelingly. Everything was over.

"YOU WILL CURSE THIS DAY!" he screamed into the night, throwing his cloak back over his shoulders, magically wiping the dust from his fedora and flew out into the bleak, starless sky. Tomorrow, he would get his revenge at the cast party. Revenge was bittersweet for Erik...

Bittersweet...indeed.

.::.

The final performance was tonight. Pon-Muto was shown twice, as it was a rare, extraordinarily beautiful show that was designed only for the Princesses.

Tonight, as expected, Princesses Luna, Celestia, and Cadence had arrived, and yes, the little heir to the Crystal Empire throne, Skyla.

Shining Armor smiled to his wife and daughter, chatting happily, when all of a sudden they realized Gilda was not singing at all...instead a mysterious figure in a black hood had taken her place with a seductively charming voice rang out with Fluttershy's...and when both ponies reached the top of the stage...

Fluttershy yanked off the cloak, whispering, "Erik?"

Luna and Celestia both rose up in their seats, horrified and astonished.

"Erik!?" they both echoed, as if distant in a lost memory. Without a second thought, Blueblood charged up onto the stage, screeching, "For Equestria's sake, you foul demon! Surrender and let Fluttershy go!"

That moment of fondness between Erik and Fluttershy faded, and instead rage filled the male alicorn's eyes as he wrapped a hoof around Fluttershy's neck and vanished, but not before igniting another flame on the stage around Blueblood.

The white stallion howled in anguish, leaping triumphantly above the rising fire and putting it out. The audiences were running in chaos, except save the Elements of Harmony and two of the Princesses. Luna and Celestia shook their heads as if bewildered.

"Sister, they said his name was Erik," Luna whispered.

"It couldn't be though...he's dead..." Celestia seemed traumatized and afraid, but forced the look away.

"Pinkie Pie, take Blueblood and the two of us to the catacombs, now! Twilight, organize and calm down the crowds! We have to get to this Phantom and fast!" she ordered sternly. Within seconds, the usually bubbly and cheery pink mare was serious and overtone as the regal princess, nodding and squeaking, "Yes, Ma'am," before she took them down the narrow maze passages...

.::.

Fluttershy could not stifle a single complaint as Erik dressed her in a gown and veil, positioning her quickly before letting out a maddened cackle.

"Now let's see my dear, how do you look? Beautiful, of course, silly me," he babbled psychopathically. As he touched his hoof to hers, her droopy teal eyes looked even sadder.

"It's my face, isn't it? That's what bothers you? It's an infection...it poisons our love!" he cried. She shook her head mourningly.

"Your haunted face holds no horror for me now," she murmured, "It's in your soul that the true distortion lies."

"Wait-" he interjected, before his face twisted into a crooked smile, "My dear...I think we have guests."

She looked up, to see Blueblood, Celestia, and Luna at the gates of the lair.

"This is indeed an unparalleled delight," Erik mocked, pacing back and forth in a maddened trance.

"Please, listen to us!" Celestia growled, "This isn't your fault you're this way, but you have to listen-"

"Oh shut up, Princess. You all can come in, make yourselves at home, but she's MY bride."

With that, Erik stepped aside, and the gates raised, letting Blueblood rush to Fluttershy's side.

"Did he hurt you? Please, are you okay, my dearest?" he bickered over her.

"No, Erik wouldn't hurt me...Blueblood, I'm okay, don't worry about me."

Erik watched with prying, angry eyes. Celestia and Luna pleadingly began to walk over towards him, but instead found themselves, as did Blueblood, trapped in Punjab Lassos.

"HAH!" Erik bellowed with a ghastly laugh again, making all three of his victim's horns disappear. They gasped all in unison, struggling to free themselves.

Fluttershy began to cry again, but this one was a cry of hate.

"How could you? I can be very kind, Erik, but please, let them go! They did no harm!"

"No harm?" he shrieked. "No harm? They are FOOLS! The world has hated me, I grew up an orphan, abused, treated horribly for my face." He bent over her, making her stagger to the ground from intimidation as he leaned closer.

"Make. Your. Choice."

"Erik, that's your name, right?" Luna asked quietly. He looked up, cocking his head to a tilt in confusion.

"Yes, why? I'm in the middle of an argument." he growled impatiently.

"Your parents did die, but it's not the way you thought it was, little brother."

Little brother? He froze. Little brother? He backed away from Fluttershy, slumping to the ground in thought. All this time he HAD been royalty and never thought about it?

Prince Blueblood recoiled at the thought of having a Phantom for a cousin.

"Mum died giving birth to you, and Papa had already died in the war with Draconequus. Try to understand, Erik, you were stolen from us long ago. We thought you were dead. Please, try to understand," Celestia calmly pleaded. At last, Fluttershy rose back up, singing softly a serenade to him where he was now silently driven to tears.

"Pitiful creature of darkness, what kind of life have you known? May the world give me courage, you are not alone." softly she sang, then placed her lips on his. It was such a romantic, sensual kiss, that his wings sprawled out to his sides, tears dripping down his face. No one had ever been so kind to him...ever. With a click of his hooves as soon as she had turned away, the three victims' horns were returned to them, and they were released from their prison of a rope noose.

"Go, leave! Go!" he screamed, running into his bedroom and sobbing.

A pang in her heart made Fluttershy want to stay...she wanted to stay so, so very bad, but she was engaged to Blueblood, and so she left with him. Celestia and Luna followed, thinking it best to leave him now, now that he knew and was prone to a violent outburst any second now.

He was alone, so alone now, there was no meaning to life, that he cried until he could cry no more, leaving himself there on the bed to die.

.::.

After a month of wedding planning, Fluttershy was already unhappy with Blueblood's standards of "his princess." It was far different from the standards of becoming an alicorn princess like Twilight, and her shyness was aggravating Blueblood's mother, Duchess Ambrosia, who was the biggest nitpick ever.

She had decided at last. She wanted Erik. She wanted him so bad...so she lied. She lied and felt terrible, but she lied to Blueblood that she was going shopping.

"Of course, my princess Flutter, of course," he mused, busy with paperwork.

Fluttershy fled to the Opera House through the back entrance Pinkie Pie had shown her. It was old and abandoned nowadays it seemed. Nobody was here, nobody at all. She crept through the mirror by breaking the lock with a fair-sized rubble stone, and tried to remember the way to the catacombs. When she arrived, nobody was there at the organ playing. The music sheets were untouched, cold and empty with no more meaning.

Fluttershy pouted, knowing something was terribly wrong.

"Erik?" she attempted to shout, but as she was naturally very quiet, it was probably no more than a whisper.

"Erik?"

Instead it was a curious siamese cat, very adorable, who appeared and began to lick her hoof. She sadly giggled, scooping her up onto her mane, which the stubborn cat licked too.

"I wish I knew your name," Fluttershy cooed. The cat mewed, leaping off and into the shadows before a pair of amber eyes submersed.

"Her name is Ayesha." It was Erik's voice, and it was indeed him as he strode out, before he scowled, his face cloaked in confusion.

"Why'd you come back?" he asked quietly, his gaze boring into hers, before he understood why. He outstretched his wing, wrapping it around her waist and walking with her to his bedroom.

"We have much practice to catch up on, my dearest Fluttershy." he whispered.

"I missed you," she replied, pressing her muzzle to his neck protectively.

.::.

At last, when their feelings and emotions were done, and he gently kissed her cheek while she slept beside him, he knew that his sisters, Luna, and Celestia, were ready for him to come home. He would never see her again, which made him so sad. She had blessed him with love and every feeling he had desired to feel beside her.

Fluttershy would have to become a memory, he decided. As he walked outside his cavern and into the night sky, leaving her far, far behind, Luna was already waiting for him.

"Didn't pack anything?" she asked curiously.

Ayesha poked her little furry head out of his fedora, making him force a smile on his face.

"Just my cat," he sadly remarked. He glanced back at the exit of the cavern, his secret getaway, before sealing that secret exit. Fluttershy knew the main way out, she did not know this way, so he was safe to leave for Canterlot.

"What's that matter, brother? Are you satisfied not enough with a home in thine castle?" she boomed in her Royal Canterlot voice.

He bowed his head.

"It's Fluttershy, she was my only, only hope." he whimpered admittedly. Luna smiled empathetically.

"It will be okay, Erik. I promise you, things will get better. You are a prince now, lighten up, and happiness will come your way..."

.::.

**This is my first MLP/Phantom crossover...please don't be hateful if you choose to review, cut me some slack here, but what did you think?**


	2. Part 2

**Here is Phantom of Equestria: Part Two. If you do not like the musical sequel to Phantom of the Opera known as Love Never Dies, be warned, a lot of plot elements are borrowed from LND (Don't worry though! There are three characters who die and they are NOT the protagonists, trust me!)**

**Although you could guess from that last sentence: THIS CHAPTER INVOLVES DEATH OF THREE CHARACTERS, THOUGH THEY ARE NOT BRUTAL OR GRAPHIC. If you simply cannot tolerate the death of three characters, oh well, but again do I reassure you that you will not be disgusted by these deaths.**

.::.

"Alright brother Erik, are you ready to learn the spell?" Luna asked.

"Yes, Luna. I am ready." the brown stallion replied.

To be exact, it was three years after the events at the Opera House, and Erik's whole life had changed when he learned he was a lost prince...he had been intended to govern an eighth element of harmony, the element of music **(A/N: I know this sounds like a cheesy element, but c'mon, music has its own powers. Magic isn't a "trait" like honesty or kindness, so why can't music be an element?)**, but because he was kidnapped by a cult that would later become Nightmare Moon followers, when he was a very young age, he had not been able to live up to his destiny until much further than expected.

Up until now, he was hidden from the world. Today he would make his first public entrance, but not as "Erik" any longer. He was learning an appearance illusion spell to make him look different, hence forth not linking him to the Opera House and renaming him "Prince Erique", pronounced so differently **(sorry another A/N: Before you ask, it's pronounced "Oi-rick", not "Er-eeke". Erique = Oi-rick. I had my proofreading buddy ask that).**

Erik closed his eyes after reading the scroll, channeling his magic. Emotionlessly, Celestia and Luna looked on, on the inside praying it would work.

Indeed it did, for when the light parted and he let out a gust of breath, his mask had even vanished under the illusion. His eyes appeared green and his pelt was white, his mane a rich shade of emerald, almost jade. He stared at himself in the mirror, and smiled.

"Thank you, sisters. No one will recognize me now." he exasperated.

"No, thank you, Erik, for coming home at last. Now, it is time to face your destiny." Celestia mused, nudging him towards the door.

His heart skipped a beat as he was stepped outside. He was met with a burst of blazing sunlight...he was used to darkness, but he assumed he would adjust. His eyes narrowed into slits as he tried to see if he knew anyone in the crowd. Would anyone recognize him? Would he be hated forever because of so?

Instead, he was met with cheers, melting his heart for good. Equestria was cheering his name now.

"Behold! Prince Erique!" Celestia shouted into the crowd. From beside him, Twilight and Cadence padded up.

"Did we miss anything? A brand new prince-what a wonder!" Cadence asked. She smiled as the now grown up Princess Skyla appeared from behind her mother, smiling proudly.

"Welcome to the family, Prince Erique. Never saw you around Equestria before, though?" her voice was suspicious, but Prince Erique laughed heartily and with half-honesty to cover up his fears.

"Of course you haven't. I was apparently taken from my family at birth. I was held captive in Saddle Arabia for a while and never knew I was a prince. What a wonder!" he cheerily replied. The tension loosened when she lost all her suspicion and her smile returned.

"That makes sense. The other Elements of Harmony will all be very happy to meet you. Come along now!" Twilight gestured for him to follow. The other princesses stayed behind to converse, though he was pleasantly surprised by all the kindness everyone was suddenly giving him.

"Thank you. I really appreciate you all being so kind. I have never been this happy in my life." He was trying not to cry, but Twilight only smiled.

"Don't be sad, you're a prince now. I was shocked I would become a princess at first, but when it settled in and I became in charge of the royal libraries, I was very pleased with myself. You'll probably get something to regulate or rule." she suggested. Erik even more at home, until she opened the door.

She was there. It was Fluttershy. With her family. He halted in his tracks, the smile vanishing from his face, until he was swamped by the other families.

"Ah'm Applejack, pleasure Prince Erique! Element of Honesty, at your service!" an orange mare said with a dip bow. Erik shook hooves with her.

"Pleasure," he replied absentmindedly.

Fillies and young colts ran past his feet, nearly knocking him over. They halted, backtracking to their parents and bowing their heads respectively. The young ones were obviously playing tag and didn't see him come in.

"Rarity, sir. This is my husband Fancy Pants and our daughter, Radiant Pearl!" a mare with a white coat and luxurious purple mane squawked, showing off her eyes with several eyelash bats.

When they scooted along, next up came of course, Pinkie Pie, who said hello and showered him with balloons, as she did not recognize him, thankfully. Then there was Rainbow Dash, who zoomed up to Erik and showed off just like Rarity, while a young filly trailed behind.

"Oh yeah, this is Shadow Blade, my daughter. Say hello, Bladey!" she added hastily, shoving forward a black filly with a red mane and tail. She already had a cutie mark in sword fighting. Maybe one day, Erik thought, this little filly would take Shining Armor's place as Captain of the Royal Guard. Who knows?

Shadow Blade nodded with a smile, before finally he was face to face with HER. Fluttershy. She didn't recognize him, but she was just as beautiful as before.

He blushed, he was certain, but Erik was smarter than that.

"Hello, I'm...Fluttershy. Nice to meet you, Prince Erique."

Before the newly crowned prince could cordially respond, Prince Blueblood interjected.

"And I'm Prince Blueblood of Dappleshore. Fluttershy's HUSBAND," he said that last word with a bit of spite as he was obviously, at least to Erik, pretending a welcome, "Say, do you seem familiar? I don't recall the princesses having any other family members other than a Phantom of the Opera House-odd enough, the Phantom mysteriously vanished."

Fluttershy bowed her head almost mournfully.

"Blueblood, stop. I don't want to talk about HIM, we've gone over this already." she whimpered.

"Well good sir, don't get your hooves in a tangle. I was still trapped in Saddle Arabia when that all happened-"

Once more, Erik was interrupted, not this time by an arrogant, suspicious prince, but that of Spike the Dragon, who placed a scroll up for Blueblood to see. As the more experienced prince looked on, he rolled his eyes with annoyance.

"Duty calls. I have to leave for another three weeks to Stalliongrad to solve whatever issue they are having now." he sighed.

"But papa!" a little voice whined. Out from behind Fluttershy trotted in a light, brownish orange school-age colt who happened just to be...an alicorn. He had the charming facial shape of Fluttershy, but Erik couldn't put a hoof on where he'd seen those amber orbs of eyes before, like those of a cat rather than a pony.

"Gustave, please, go back and play with the other little ones, this is between your father and I." Fluttershy whispered, ducking her head away from Erik's confused stare. While the mother and son were preoccupied, Blueblood leaned in to his ear, letting out a half-growl threat.

"I know it's you, Phantom. Don't play games with me. I won't tell your precious little secret if you keep your hooves off of my wife. I won. Back off."

With that, the Prince trotted away, not even bothering with good-byes to his own family!How preposterous! Nonetheless, Erik gathered himself together...he prayed he would survive the dinner tonight without giving away his position to his beloved from only feet away from him...he wasn't sure how he was tolerating so much tension and love he felt brimming from his core. He wanted her, he wanted her just so bad. But would she accept him now for running away those years ago from what he believed to be a doomed romance?

.::.

Fluttershy felt uneasy as she sat across the table from the new Prince Erique. She knew something was unsettlingly familiar about him, but she did not recognize his face at all.

It was his dainty, innocently heavenly voice that made her think of her Erik, the Erik she wanted to marry so badly but knew was dead and gone. But Prince Erique was a stranger brought from afar, but what if he wasn't as he seemed?

"Eat your apple pie, Gustave, it's rude not to eat such a fine delicacy," Fluttershy nudged her son, who pouted then began to eat. She no longer sounded like the content, shy pony she had been before. She sounded like Rarity around party guests, and Fluttershy didn't like it, but Blueblood insisted she be "able to be fancied".

Don't look at it like he's a dictator. He may be hardboiled and have a crude, sarcastic and mean-hearted shell, but he does indeed care about his family, but what he doesn't know is that Gustave is-

No. Fluttershy forced the memories away. She needn't think like that. She had to find her way around town in her methods of kindness. Blueblood was gone for another three weeks, giving her time to think this through.

Her thought process was interrupted when Erique abruptly left. Unnoticeably, she slipped from the table, following him with nimble footsteps as he heavily sighed, mumbling to himself.

"Disguises, disguises, what's the use when you have a naggy blue-maned nitwit who has too much power and recognizes you immediately?" He laughed to himself very quietly, then returned to his grumbly rants.

Blue-maned nitwit? He must be referring to Blueblood, Fluttershy thought numbly. Disguise? So he wasn't who the princesses thought he was! Unless they knew all along he was someone he isn't...who knows, but Fluttershy would find out.

She pressed on down the several hallways until one door shut, except, not all the way. With one small hoof she pushed it open in a crack.

"Now, how do I reverse the spell again? Ah, right. Eleca nahmen nahmen..." he went into a chant, when Fluttershy winced as he was cloaked in a blinding light. Within seconds, the white stallion with dashing looks became a little underweight, brown pelt...and yes, those same amber eyes as her son.

Prince Erique was indeed Prince Erik, the Phantom of the Opera House. The Opera Ghost! Her lover!

"Erik, how could you?" she snapped, barging in, tears streaming down her face. He backed up towards the window, shock and pain spreading in his eyes.

"How could YOU follow me? I left so you didn't have to see this." he retaliated.

"You left me, why did you leave me?" Fluttershy began to sob profusely, before Erik clamped his hoof over his mouth.

"Look, do you want to bring every single guard to our location? Be quiet and come with me where we won't be bothered. Come on, then!" he growled. The hurt and sadness turned to annoyance as he spread his wings, and against the breeze, flew upwards. In a quick sensation, Fluttershy followed him, up, up to Luna's observatory balcony. She was off duty, and Fluttershy wondered that since Erik had a sense of night owl in him, that he did shifts with the lunar princess now.

At last they perched, the two of them, back to back at the balcony, closer than the stars, and yet irreparably apart. Erik let out a sigh at last, shaking his head as Fluttershy's droopy eyes glistened with moonlit tear droplets.

"You know, Fluttershy," he said formally as ever, "don't think because I left, I didn't think about you, or how you were doing. Luna and Celestia forbade me to read the newspaper, but I knew you were married for my sisters told me. I was kept in my room so that prying eye reporters would leave me alone."

"I loved you, that's all that mattered then. I loved you, and I would have gone with you and fought with you through every single challenge there was. Why couldn't you understand that? My name may be Fluttershy, and my job is taking care of animals, but I really did care for you." she murmured.

As they gazed at each other, almost fondly for a second, Erik tilted his head away again.

"I left because you would have been miserable with me. Blueblood brings you joy, happiness, light, and he gave you a son. What could I give you? Nothing but darkness."

Except, it was all wrong. Fluttershy bit her lip, for part of the sentence was wrong. Happiness, light...

But Gustave was not Blueblood's son.

.::.

"Birthday party for Golden Stitches!"

Gustave did not like Golden Stitches. He did not like most ponies outside his mother, Shadow Blade, and Radiant Pearl.

The little pink filly with golden mane corralled around her toys. Fluttershy, his mum, was required to participate.

Instead, he was allowed a clause when the new prince offered to watch him. His mum was very, very nervous for some odd reason about letting Prince Erique watch Gustave.

Instead, the young colt smiled as he decided at last to stick to this new Prince who seemed, for one, charming, and interestingly mysterious.

"So what would you like to see? I will grant you just one wish on our little journey." Prince Erique asked, more interested in Gustave than anything else.

Gustave thought for a moment, ruffling out his mane and orange coat.

"I...um..." he wasn't so sure, but then a blink of an idea came in his mind as he neared a piano in Erique's workshop.

"Does the Heir of the Prince know how to play?" Erique remarked, raising his eyebrows and approving this strange child to play for him.

Gustave channeled his magic into his horn, sighing softly as he began to hit the keys telepathically.

"I think it's beautiful, so very beautiful. Don't you agree?"

Gustave's eyes wandered up to Erique's, curious for an answer, but the stallion was lost in thought, in a distant realm of feelings and emotions that the much younger colt did not understand.

.::.

This colt was TWO, Erik thought in surprise, TWO! And he was old enough...just barely old enough, to be his son.

Now that he thought about it, staring at this tyke, and the gears in his brain began turning.

Amber eyes, brownish fur tint, and a black mane and tail. Nothing looked like Blueblood on this child! Nothing! At all!

Erik's face, if it was possible for a pony, would've flushed from color.

No! NO! It couldn't be! And what if it wasn't actually his son...what if it was Blueblood's? His cheeks flared up, and he was suddenly unable to look at Gustave.

"You need to go back to your mother."

"But Prince Erique-"

"GO!" he shrieked in response, making Gustave yelp, tucking his tail between his legs and scampering off.

"Um, Erik?" He had spoken too soon. The party must have been over, for Fluttershy was walking in. Gustave did not follow her, to his surprise, but he was still furiously boiling.

"What's wrong? Erik? Why aren't you saying anything?" she shyly squeaked.

"Did you think I wouldn't guess?" he feverishly said, tears streaking down his cheeks. He had never cried quite like this...now he had to know the truth.

"I don't know what you mean." she tried to reason, but he cut her off again.

"Gustave is two years old. Your fop does not match up. An alicorn can be made into one through royal transformation or if their parent is an alicorn." he continued, his glare boring into her innocent, droopy blue eyes.

"Please, no..." she gasped, knowing where he was going with this.

"He's my son, Fluttershy. He's my son and you hid the truth."

"I thought you were dead!"

With his magic, he pinned her to the ground as she cried out in alarm.

"You didn't bother even looking for me, Fluttershy! You let Blueblood raise a child that's not his. Oh Fluttershy...how could you? You're the Element of KINDNESS, but all I sense is betrayal through and through!"

Erik began sobbing now, hiding his face away and removing his illusion.

"You never loved me anyways! All because of my deformity! Take him, take him and go..."

The brown stallion began to creep away to a corner where his weepings grew only more dense and sad as he released Fluttershy from her magical grip. She gasped for a second, feeling the air return to her, before she watched the pony she had wanted to be with cry, believing it all his fault.

No. She would not let this happen.

"Erik, I do love you, but I love Blueblood too. Try to understand-"

"Understand WHAT!?" he snapped, reeling around to face her as the fur around his spine stood on end, making him even scarier than before.

"That I'm married! If I wasn't, I would leap into your arms and marry you, Erik, but I am bound to Blueblood until divorce and I doubt he'd ever annul my marriage to him." Fluttershy sighed, bowing her head in defeat. Suddenly, a scary shadow appeared over Erik's eyes as he rose up stiffly.

"Then it shall be arranged...I will see to you that you get your wishes." he growled. He lifted his chin and trotted past her, his horn glowing as he changed back into the illusion of Prince Erique.

"Erik...please...don't kill Blueblood. Please don't do it." Fluttershy whimpered, ears flattening against her head as she shuddered innocently. Like she used to before she met Erik, she hid her face in her mane, making him soften a bit.

"I won't kill him, but he won't think twice about bothering you again."

Before she could say another word, his horn flashed again, and he vanished into a cloak of bright light, then was gone. She shook her head sadly.

"Oh Erik, I love you," she murmured, "But please don't ruin anything...please..."

.::.

"Another shot of apple cider, did you hear me?" Blueblood snapped. When he gulped down the hard, fizzy drink, he sighed.

"Bud, don't you think you've had enough?" the meek little brown bartender squeaked, but Blueblood payed no attention as he tossed his mane, lost in thought.

"My wife...my wife...my wife? Why is she still married to me? She doesn't love me. She only loves that love-stealing jerk, Erik." he growled, then began to mock.

"Oh Fluttershy, come marry me! I can give you darkness, candlelight, and eat rats in the sewers! Oh wait, I'm wrong, I'm an alicorn prince you can give you everything Blueblood can't because I've only known you for two years and Blueblood has known you all his LIFE!" he ragingly scorned, failing to pretend to be Erik. He flopped down in his seat moodily, toying with a few photographs in his wallet.

"Another shot!" he barked. When the bartender wordlessly passed him another drink, he growled once more.

"Oh, why does she love me? I hate the stupid Phantom! If he wants her, he better face me stallion-to-stallion!"

At last, the so-called Prince Erique turned around. Blueblood gasped, for at this moment, he realized indeed his suspicions had been true. The illusion faded, and Erik sneered in his face.

"Looking for me, Princey? Been a long time."

"YOU!" Blueblood lunged forward, ready to kill him with one blow, but Erik dodged from underneath, hanging upside on a rafter in the ceiling. Blueblood's horn sparked, ready to drag the crafty alicorn down, but when only a few little sparkles came out to no effect, he also realized that Erik had repelled his magic.

"What do you want!?" the white stallion screamed. Erik laughed, tossing back his pale brown head and just in maniacal laughter, binding Blueblood to his chair, rendering him stuck and unable to move one bit.

Erik stood in front of him, being an alicorn, was at least a foot taller, staring down at him intimidatingly.

"I want what's mine, Gustave and Fluttershy."

This time it was the turn of Blueblood to laugh.

"They're mine, and there's nothing you can do to-"

Magic spurned through Blueblood's mouth as an ink quill settled onto his teeth. Against his will...a document floated towards him. The top read:

DOCUMENTATION OF DIVORCE.

"No you can't!" Blueblood cried through muffled teeth, but ended up signing it anyways by force.

"Hm. That was easy." Erik rolled up the paper, tossing it in his side bag and smiling as he shut the leather tote, sealing the document forever in his grasp.

"You won't get away with this! Gustave and Fluttershy are mine!"

Blueblood was still bound to the chair, the Phantom did not want to release him, rather smiled ominously that sent chills down Blueblood's spine.

"Gustave is MY son, you imbecile slime. For all I know you forced yourself against my beloved, rather than let a gentleman be with her. You are the lowest of the low, Prince Blueblood, you cynical rat, I hope you rot in this chair." Erik snapped, then vanished into thin air, leaving Prince Blueblood dazed.

Gustave wasn't his son!? No...this couldn't be...no! Both Erik and Fluttershy would pay...and Gustave would die for being born, Blueblood decided. As...soon as he got out of this chair!

.::.

"Fluttershy!" Erik called. She exited her bedroom, where she had sat, worrying for hours over when Erik would return.

"Erik!" she replied with a yawn. Her eyes widened when she was handed divorce papers.

"What did you do, Erik?" she gasped.

"It's done. That jerk is out of your life, make way for Prince Erik and PRINCESS Fluttershy. None of this silly Duchess business...you deserve to be a princess, my dear."

He leaned forward, and she didn't hesitate to kiss him. She was happy at last, and so was he.

.::.

Blueblood's skin boiled as he deviously told the plan to his new allies.

"Goodbye, wedding day," he snickered, before they all turned to maniacal laughter.

.::.

Celestia smiled as she began the vows.

"Do you, Erik, Prince of Equestria and Element of Music, take Fluttershy, the Element of Harmony and the true voice between all the citizens of our land, to be your wife?"

He gulped nervously and anxiously.

"I do." he said, voice wavering.

"And do you, Fluttershy, the Element of Harmony, take Erik as your lawfully wedded husband?"

Confidently, she said, "I do."

Celestia closed her book, with a nod to the new couple.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Their kiss was magical. It was spellbindingly wonderful, especially to Erik...for now, in his loneliness, he had WON! He had WON at LAST! He had Fluttershy as his, forever and now they would all live Happily Ever-

"PRINCESS CELESTIA!" Gustave screamed from his spot in the rows and rows of seats. When the tall, very pale pink princess turned around, it was much too late, for with one swing, she was knocked hard up against her head, smashing her to the ground, unmoving. It was a blast from Chrysalis, Nightmare Moon, Sombra, and...Blueblood, all their magic combined. It was not sure how Nightmare Moon had returned, but yes, she was here, and even without the reformed Discord, all chaos would ensue.

Ponies screamed and ran, for their leader, their mother, their founder, Princess Celestia, was dead.

Gustave got lost within the crowd, and with one push, Erik shoved Fluttershy out of the way of an incoming attack.

"Find our son! RUN!" he shrieked at his wife, who had tears now like waterfalls flinging endlessly to the ground. She nodded and flew away, and Erik wasn't sure he would ever see her again.

"Sister Luna! Look out!" he howled, running to Luna's aid as she tried to fend off all of them at once. But she was outnumbered. With an even more powerful beam of light, Luna collapsed next to her deceased sister, never to rule again.

"NO! NO!" Erik cried out. This was supposed to be his happy day! His special day! Now Chrysalis was advancing on him with a hiss coming from her slimy black body as her eyes glowed. Defenseless, he could only sob, sob as he ran right past her and huddled his sisters close to him. Nightmare Moon laughed.

"He's our prisoner now! Feed off his love-he could be useful in capturing the other elements of harmony!" Sombra barked.

Erik could not help but surrender. He had no willpower left. Even though Fluttershy had married him...and Gustave was healthy and well...they could move on without him in their lives. Thy didn't need him.

Chrysalis' horn touched his, his amber eyes swirling into that of a useless, dull lime green. He no longer had a control, and conscious, his love drained of all and every feeling that could ever be made.

She licked her greasy lips.

"That was deliciously juicy...his love is far stronger than that of Shining Armor and Cadence so long ago! He'll be useful to us, this 'Phantom', indeed. What do you say, Blueblood? Should we get your former lover, too?" she mused.

Blueblood nodded with a sickly grin.

"Yes. Make an army first and put the Phantom in the frontlines...just to terrorize her to the point of submission!" he remarked gleefully...

.::.

Fluttershy huddled Gustave under her wing as she headed with the other elements, taking shelter. Twilight was in a state of shock, Applejack and Pinkie Pie had to carry her to the shelter outside, for she had loved her mentor like a second mother.

"She's dead...she's dead..." Twilight moaned, but snapped out of the trance when an even more odd moan came from somewhere nearby.

"Momma, what was that? Where's papa?" Gustave had come to acknowledge Erik at last as his father-he had accepted the news fine, to Fluttershy's relief.

"I don't know, sweetheart. Shh, it will be okay..." she rocked him back and forth. Shadow Blade and Golden Stitches were huddling as well beside their mothers. All the remaining fillies were terrified out of their minds-the two major leaders of Equestria had fallen and did not stand up again. Death was a terrible thing, and she was sad these fillies and colts had to see this.

The moans repeated. Louder, and louder, until they all saw them coming. The changelings had all been wiped out at the previous battle, but no, not Queen Chrysalis, she was still here, very, very much alive...and she had made an army of the Infected, ponies who were under mind-control, and at the frontline was Erik.

"No-it can't be. Skyla, Cadence, Erik, Shining Armor..." Applejack gasped.

And the four leaders-Sombra, Chrysalis, Nightmare Moon, and Blueblood were following right behind them.

"Erik!?" Fluttershy, at the mention of her husband's name, looked up, only to see the shadow of his former self. His horn was covered in black crystals, his eyes a shade of dark green. His cheeks were stained with tears, and just as another one dropped, it evaporated.

"NO! Blueblood, why did you do this!? Why can't you just get over this? You win some, you lose some! I was never yours!" Fluttershy screamed at him. Gustave shrunk in between her legs, cowering at his stepfather.

"Doesn't matter now, I win, and YOU lose!" he triumphantly barreled, and launched his army into battle. To her horror, Erik was coming right at them, charming with his head bowed down, his razor-sharp horn pointed towards the group.

"Twilight, Rarity, guard the children! I will hold off the army with Applejack. Pinkie and Rainbow Dash, you have to defeat them! Take out Chrysalis first if you can!" For the first time ever, Fluttershy gave real orders to anyone. Her love was on the line, and she wanted to win, no matter how painful something was to have to fight with Erik.

Gustave ran over to his auntie Twilight and Rarity, who gave him both a brief hug before putting him in the corner with the other little ones.

Erik suddenly was upon Fluttershy. She dodged his first move, but barely, for when he threw a punch at her, it only grazed her cheek.

"Erik, are you in there? Please, answer me!" she yelled, throwing his mask off, where it clattered to the ground. No one seemed to pay attention, nor did he seem to care, only his rage grew as he dove at her, blowing sand towards her eyes. She closed them shut tight.

"Stop! Please, stop!"

Erik didn't seem to acknowledge her words, it was as if he were deaf. But in the distance, a screech of defeat sounded, then suddenly she watched as one by one, the changeling infected ones began to regain their conscious. Fluttershy refused to hurt Erik, but he showed no sign of recovery at all.

At last, her husband stumbled as he swallowed in air abruptly and harshly. She ran to his side, wings wrapping around his shoulders as his eyes, straining and wider than ever been, began to turn amber.

"Fluttershy..." he croaked weakly as he was lain down beside Gustave, who in turn curled up around his father's legs.

Now that the army was all gone...Nightmare Moon and Chrysalis were down. With efforts from the Mane Six, they all were gone. And with one staggering breath, Blueblood was dead, never to harm anyone ever again.

Fluttershy rushed back to her friends and family, panting, but smiled in relief when at last she saw Erik rubbing his fully restored horn with a bit of remorse.

"That was awfully brave, FlutterSHY!" he joked. Twilight nudged him with a sad frown.

"Erik, you realize Cadence and Shining Armor run the Crystal Empire, right?" she asked curiously. He nodded.

"Yes, why?" he replied, then he shook his head sadly when he realized what it all meant.

"This was the destiny Celestia and Luna were talking about. They knew they would die. They knew what you and I had to do."

Fluttershy cocked her head to a side, confused idly until in turn, she gasped.

"You mean, you're going to raise the moon and Twilight will raise the sun!?"

He nodded.

"Yes. This was the destiny I had to fulfill..."

At last, after all these years of yearning to know a purpose in life, Erik, the eldest stallion ever not to have a cutie mark, had one appear, of a white moon with a black mask in the center. He smiled. He and Twilight were the rulers of the kingdom of Equestria, bound by chivalry, honor, and joy.

But the most joyous of all was the wonderful celebration held about the prince and his new wife.

In the distant, he swore he heard the singing of an angel of music dancing around a chandelier.

But perhaps, it was all just an echo.

.

.

.

.

.

.

THE END.


End file.
